


Checkmate

by RoslinNyx



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Romance, Behavioral Analysis Unit (Criminal Minds), Crimes & Criminals, F/F, F/M, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Female Character, Self-Discovery, Serial Killers, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-19 08:41:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29623620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoslinNyx/pseuds/RoslinNyx
Summary: Cassidy Hotchner never knew her father. Her mother would never tell her who he was, that the only thing she ever really knew about the man was his last name. The last name she had put on her daughter's birth certificate. She never really cared much. She had a great life with her mother, she couldn't ask for anything else.It wasn't until her mother died that she began to question things. She went on a search for her father, and it really wasn't that hard to find him. Aaron Hotchner. His name was plastered everywhere, all it took was one simple internet search. She bought the first plane ticket to Virginia to go find him.She didn't expect anything else she found. A rocky relationship with the father she never knew, an impossible choice between two people she had somehow found herself in love with, and to top it all off? A serial killer who wants her dead.
Relationships: Emily Prentiss/Original Female Character(s), Spencer Reid/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 22





	1. Prologue

Cassidy walked down the cold streets of New York, pulling her jacket closer around her as she pulled her bag onto her shoulder again. She glanced at her watch, sighing slightly as she saw the time. It was nearly 5, and she had told her mother that she would be there at 4. She called her again but got no answer, leaving a voicemail and telling her that she would be there in a few minutes.

  
She got to the apartment building before going inside, walking toward the elevator before getting on. She pulled the hood of her jacket down, brushing some hair from her face as she hit the button to take her up to the fifth floor.

  
She had been so busy at college and work, she hadn't been able to go see her mother in several months. Once the elevator stopped at the fifth floor, she stepped off and began to walk down the hallway to her mothers room. She got to the door, knocking on it.

  
After a few moments of standing there, she knocked again. " Mom?" She called, frowning a bit when she still didn't get an answer. She knocked louder, looking around. She had seen her car in the parking lot, so why wasn't she answering? " Mother?!" She called again, a little louder.

  
After still getting no answer, she pulled out the key she had kept from when she lived there. Unlocking the door, she stepped inside and put her bags down. She looked around for a moment, shutting the door. Everything was quiet...

  
" Mom? It's Cassidy. Sorry I'm late, the flight got delayed." She said, walking through the apartment. She got even more worried when she still didn't get an answer. She checked the kitchen, not finding anyone in there. She then went toward the bedroom. " Mom?"

  
She saw the door cracked open a bit, walking closer toward it and pushing it open. She froze in place, eyes going wide at what she saw.

  
It was red, everywhere. It took Cassidy a moment to realize it was all blood. Her eyes stayed on the bed where she saw a body. She couldn't make out a face, and she didn't want to. She knew who it would be.

  
She was in shock, unable to do anything but stand there and stare. When she finally was able to look away, her gaze went to the wall. Blood was smeared over it. A name.

  
Aaron Hotchner.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been six months since the death of her mother. She had refused to accept that it had happened at first. She buried herself in work and college, basically drowning in it. As long as she had that to distract her, she didn’t have to think about what had happened. 

She didn’t take any time off, not even after the college had tried to make her. If she didn’t have something to do, she knew that she would have to think about it. She couldn’t even bring herself to go to the funeral. 

She would have to accept it. She didn’t want to do that. Cassidy had never been one to run from reality. But with this? She couldn’t fathom the thought that her mother wasn’t alive anymore.

Her mother had always been her only family. She had friends and all, sure. But no family other than her. Now she was all alone. She had pushed her friends away, ignoring practically everyone.

She had succeeded in not thinking about her mother being dead. Even when she had time to think, it wasn’t her death that she thought about. It was the name.

Aaron Hotchner. Hotchner… Why would the name of a father she never knew, a man her mother never knew, be written on the wall in her blood? 

She couldn’t find any reason. There was no logic to it. And she hated things that she couldn’t put logic to. 

It had been relatively easy to find him. His name was plastered everywhere. She had put it off for as long as possible, but she couldn’t put it off anymore. She had to figure out why.

In the middle of the night, she booked the first flight to Virginia that she could find. When morning came, she called her college and told them that she would take the time off. 

As she looked around the airport, she began to question things. What the hell was she doing? Did she think this would bring her closure or something? Give her answers? 

She stood there, thinking for a split second that she should just get a flight back home and forgot all about this. The loud voice over the speakers snapped her from her thoughts. She bent down and picked her bags up, beginning to push through the crowd of people to find the exit. 

She finally found it and left the airport. As she looked down the streets of people and cars, she realized she had no idea how to find him. 

She checked the time. He should be at work. From what she had found out about him, he worked at the Behavioral Analysis Unit. After a quick internet search, she found an address. 

She saw it wasn’t far from there, so she decided to walk. She didn’t like taking taxis. She wasn’t going to get into a vehicle with some stranger, too many things could happen. 

She kept checking her phone as she walked, making sure she was going the right way. The crowd of people on the streets began to thin as she got further out of the main part of the city. 

As she walked toward the FBI Academy, she tried to think of what she would say. She doubted she could just walk in and demand to see him. He was the head of one of the FBI’s organizations. Surely there was more red tape she had to go through in order to see him. 

Even if by chance she could get in to see him, what was she going to say? ‘Hey, your name was on the wall in my mothers blood. Oh, and I’m your daughter.’ 

She didn’t think that would go well. At all. He would think she was crazy, and probably have her detained. If he didn’t, she would just be kicked out. She really should have planned ahead for all of this. 

The building began to come into view. As it did, she realized just exactly what it was she was about to do. She was about to meet her father. 

As she grew up, she had thought about finding him a few times. Going to meet him, but she never really thought that she would do it. She had a great life with her mother. Now that was gone…

Her grip tightened on the strap of her bag as she got closer to the building. She got to the door, walking inside. She looked around once she got in. It was huge, how was she ever going to find him?

“ Hello, is there something I can help you with?” A woman asked. Cassidy looked over when she heard her. She walked over to the desk she was sitting beside. “ Yes. I need to see Aaron Hotchner. I’m a-,” she stopped, what was she gonna say, daughter? “ A friend of his.” 

The woman nodded, looking at the computer before picking up a phone and dialing a number. “ Hello, this is Sonya at the front desk. There’s someone here to see you, says they are a friend.” 

The woman looked at her after a moment. “ What did you say your name was?” 

“ Cassidy.” 

The woman started to talk on the phone again before hanging it up. “ He’s on the 6th floor.” She said. 

“ Thank you.” 

Cassidy began to walk to the elevator, pressing the small button before waiting for the doors to open. Once they did, she stepped inside and pressed the button for the 6th floor.

She looked around nervously as the elevator went up. What seemed like hours later the doors finally opened. She got off and walked to the glass doors that had  _ Behavioral Analysis Unit  _ engraved on them. 

She pushed them open and went in. There were several people sitting at desks, talking amongst themselves. Until she walked in. They all stopped, looking at her. 

Cassidy glanced between them before walking to the desk of a woman with dark hair. She looked the nicest out of all of them. “ I’m looking for Aaron Hotchner.” She said.

The woman nodded, pointing toward a door to one of the offices. “ Of course, it’s right up there.” She said, smiling slightly at her. 

“ Thank you.” Cassidy said, smiling awkwardly as she walked toward the office that the woman had indicated to. As she walked away, she could hear faint whispering from the people but didn’t pay it much attention. 

She got to the door, taking a deep breath as she looked at it. After a few moments, she knocked gently on the door. 

“ Come in.” 

Cassidy opened the door and stepped inside, glancing around the room before looking at him. “ Are you Aaron Hotchner?” 

He nodded at the question. “ Yes, I am. You said you were a friend of mine. I’m guessing there’s something you need.” 

She looked at him for a few moments, biting the inside of her cheek before finally speaking. “ I’m Cassidy. Cassidy Hotchner. You met my mother about 28 years ago, and I think you might know something about the person who killed her.” 


	3. Chapter 3

Aaron was quiet for a moment when he looked at her, a slightly confused look on his face. “ I’m sorry, what?” He asked, head tilting a bit in confusion. 

Cassidy sighed slightly when she heard him. “ I’m your daughter.” She said.

Aaron looked at her for a few moments before standing up from his desk. He went to the door and shut it, looking back to her. “ I think you have the wrong person. I don’t have a daughter.” He said, going back to his seat and motioning for her to take the one in front of the desk.

Cassidy didn’t move to take it, staying in the same spot as she watched him. “ Twenty-eight years ago, you met my mother in a bar in New York. A month later, she found out she was pregnant. 

All she had from you was a business card that you left. She never reached out. But she wanted me to have the same last name as my father.”

Aaron tried to think back. He had been in New York several times before, it was possible he had been there at that time. “ What was her name?” He finally asked. 

“ Natalia Sinclair.” Cassidy told him, looking around the room a bit. She saw pictures on the desk. Pictures of a little boy. His son, she assumed. Her half-brother.

“ Are you sure?” Aaron asked.

Cassidy nodded at the question. “ Yes, I am.” 

“ It’s been twenty-eight years. Why find me now?” He asked. How could he have a daughter he never knew about? He couldn’t even remember anything that could have led to it…

“ Six months ago, she was murdered.” She said, grip tightening on the strap of her bag. 

“ I’m sorry, di-” 

“ Don’t say sorry over the death of a woman you don’t even remember.” She snapped slightly before looking away for a moment.

“ Did they ever find out who did it?” He asked after a few moments of silence.

“ No. They did an investigation, but they couldn’t find anything. After a few weeks of them constantly telling me they had nothing, I told them to stop.”

“ Why do you think I know something about the person who did it?” He asked. What could have possibly led to her thinking he knew anything?

“ Because your name was written on the wall in her blood.” Cassidy told him. She was oddly calm talking about it. She still hadn’t fully accepted it. Part of her had, but another part… Couldn’t comprehend the fact that her mother was now gone. 

“ My name?” Aaron questioned. “ Why wasn’t I informed about that?” 

Whoever it was, it was obvious it hadn’t been random. Cassidy knew that. Her mother had been targeted. Aaron knew that. But how had they found her? He hadn’t even known about her. 

“ I asked them not to.” She said. “ At first, I didn’t think it mattered. I didn’t want anything to do with you, and I didn’t want you there now that she was gone. But now, I think you may be the only way that I can find out who did this.” 

“ I’m sorry, but I don’t know who it could be.” He said.

Cassidy finally sat the bag on the ground, sitting in the chair in front of the desk. “ Names aren’t just randomly written on walls in blood. This person knew you, they did this because she was connected to you. Because I am.” 

Aaron nodded when he heard her. “ I know. I promise, I will try to figure out who it was.” He said. “ Could I see a picture of her?” 

Cassidy was silent before nodding. She pulled her phone out and went through some photos before stopping at one of the two of them. They were laughing, flour scattered everywhere and covering them. 

She turned the phone toward him, smiling faintly. “ It was the last time I saw her… We were making a cake, and my dog jumped up and flipped the bowl with the flour.”

Aaron looked at the photo before taking the phone, looking down at it with a small smile. “ I do remember her… She spilled her drink on me.” 

Cassidy chuckled slightly when she heard him. “ She always was clumsy.” She said, taking her phone back. She looked at the photo for a few more seconds before turning it off and putting it back into her pocket. 

“ How long are you staying?” He asked. 

“ I’m not sure. I was given a minimum of 4 months off from work and school. I guess I’ll stay for as long as it takes to find out who did it.” She said. 

“ Do you have anywhere to stay?” He asked. 

Cassidy started to say yes before stopping. How could she have forgotten? She didn’t even book a hotel room. It had been such a split second decision, she never had the time. 

“ Not yet, but I was going to just book a hotel room or something.” She said, shrugging a bit. 

“ Well, if you wanted, I have an extra room. You could stay there.” He offered. 

“ No, it’s fine.” She said quickly, shaking her head. She may be there, and she may have asked for his help, but she still didn't really have any desire for a relationship with him. 

“ Alright. Well, if you change your mind, just let me know.” 

Cassidy nodded when she heard him. “ Thank you, I will.” 

She looked around a bit, a little unsure what to do next. She really hadn’t planned this far ahead. She hadn’t planned at all.

She looked out the window to where the other people had been. They were all huddled around one desk, looking through the window into the office. When they saw her look over, they all looked away. 

“ Do they do that often?” She asked curiously, watching them for a moment before looking back to Aaron.

Aaron looked out the window for a moment at them, nodding at the question. “ Yes. I don’t know why they try to hide it anymore. I know when they do it.” He said. 

Cassidy nodded a bit, looking back at them. “ I’m guessing they’re your team?” 

She could recognize some of them from the photos she had found of him online when she looked him up. 

“ Yes, they are. I can introduce you to them, if you want.” He offered. 

Cassidy thought for a moment before nodding. She might be there awhile, might as well know who they are. They would be the ones trying to find her mother’s killer as well, which gave her another reason to get to know them. 

Aaron stood up from the desk and went to the door, opening it and stepping out. Cassidy got up, walking out as well. He shut the door once she was out.

“ The meeting room is this way.” He told her, looking over at the group of people and nodding toward the room they were walking toward. 

They all immediately got up, heading to the room as well. Cassidy couldn’t help but laugh a bit when she saw them all get up. “ You have them trained like dogs…”


End file.
